Cyclist Bradley Wiggins Wins Seventh Olympic Medal, A British Record

Britain's Bradley Wiggins celebrates after winning the gold medal at the end of the London 2012 Olympic Games men's individual time trial road cycling event in London.

Odd AndersenAFP/Getty Images

British cyclist Bradley Wiggins has won the gold medal in the men's individual time trial event, beating Germany's Tony Martin by 42 seconds. He took 50 minutes and 39 seconds to cover the course of 49 kilometers (just under 30.5 miles).

Martin took silver, and the bronze went to Britain's Chris Froome, who played a vital support role as Wiggins' teammate in his Tour de France victory last month.

With the win, Wiggins, 32, becomes the British equivalent of Michael Phelps: the most-decorated Olympian in his nation's history. His seven medals surpasses the six won by rower Steve Redgrave.

"Wiggins' previous Olympic medals came on the track - three golds, one silver and two bronzes.

"At the 2000 Sydney Olympics he was part of the group that won the bronze medal in the team pursuit event.

"Four years later in Athens he became the first British athlete in 40 years to win three medals at one Olympics."

Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara, the defending Olympic champion in the event who was the last rider to set out on the course, did not pose a threat to the leaders. Suffering from the effects of a hard crash in the men's road race earlier this week, he collapsed after finishing, and medical personnel rushed to tend to him.